Games Editorial

We take a slight break from regular in game EvE news to offer this editorial, while we generally only post about EVE in this blog every once and a while the editorial staff decides to voice opinions on other games, if you take offense at my opinions on the game, well obviously these are my thoughts…

Does every game need to be a grade-A blockbuster title? Would you be willing to play more average games or should every game shoot for the 10.0 rating?

Good question for dev’s to be sure. It boils down to this for me What is a “blockbuster” Answer a ) Something that sells millions of copies b) Something that nets millions of dollars c) Something that is different AND unique about a game that lure the player to want to play? d) Makes you think (I like answer C & D as I am different like that…)

To me , a blockbuster is something that WORKS that has FEW bugs is enjoyable to look at and makes you think.

Some notable misses:AoC nice game ( Incredible enviornment) but geeze WTH you supposed to do from 50 – 60 in one freaking zone how patehtic is that? I stopped playing and probably will not play again, PVP was a jump on the guy at the spawn point and kill him the fastest, absolutely pathetic.

WoW Pre 70 (sorry for the wrong number before it has been a LONG time since i played I forget) I liked the PvE and even the cutsey way thing work, post 70 was pathetic, grind to make gold, to grind to go into dungeon, to maybe perhaps have a 5% chance of getting one little item that only really benefits you …in the dungeon, PvP was organized but was bum rush the other guys fort and hold it…meh

Some noteable wins:LOTRO incredible enviornment, incredible story, absolutle hell to travel around in but meh that what the books were about travelling long distances, haven’t played ina long while still love the story.

now back to the question doesn’t need to be a blockbuster needs to be well thought out well developed and stable

Should they shoot for a 10. HELL YES! Strive for perfection if you do not make it dammit try harder, pathetic games that are pushed out in 2 months simply suck. Ill thought out ideas ( what happens when people get to 80/70 /level cap? What do they do) are another problem many fail to think about and are part of a strategic decision.

Well, the only thing we seem to disagree on is whether you need forsake uniqueness and thought-provoking design in favor of profit. Small developers do have more opportunities nowadays, but a bestseller/blockbuster doesn't need to be shallow in order to succeed.You did phrase your question in a funny way, though.

I think you and I are saying the same thing? Keys are development of a unique game and the ability to strategically plan it's path. I never played Portal although friends did and they agreed it was a good game. So I am not sure if/ where you and I disagree.

Thanks for the corrected info hope it makes more sense now.Yes.Well.. off to the meat of your argument. I don't think that "good" is a synonym to "big". Let's take Portal as an example. It's certainly not a big game and can be finished in one evening. It doesn't have an impressive feature list. But it's both a bestseller and a critically acclaimed gaime.On the other hand, we do have the mass-market MMORPGs that try to satisfy all four Bartle archetypes at the same time, even if those archetypes' interests clash. As a result, none of those archetypes get everything that they want.The effort to try to please everyone is an artifact of the old distribution models of games. Advertising and shipping media, manuals and packaging around is expensive, so publishers try to please as many people as possible in a certain geographic area. Even if it requires making games that everyone will tolerate, but nobody really likes.As direct distribution via the Internet gains ground, it's beginning to be more and more viable to make "niche" games. This is the "Big in Japan" effect. Because you can reach all of your potential customers with minimal cost, many games that weren't commercially viable before can become huge successes. One game doesn't need to be be-all-end-all when you can play several that each fit a specific niche that you like.It's also helps to think of commercial success as relative, not absolute. If making a game costs 50 million, then you have to sell a million copies at $50 a piece just to break even. But if making a game costs 50 000, you can offer it at a cheap price and still reach get an impressive return on investment.